Mixed Berry and Anise Pie Recipe
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On its own anise can be overwhelming, but using just a smidgen in cooking has the same effect as adding bitters to a cocktail: It lurks in the background in the best possible way. For this classic berry pie, the slight licorice note helps bring out the floral flavors in the berries and evens out the tart and sweet extremes of the pie.
Game plan: Freezing shortening makes it easier to work with; keep some in the freezer for when you want to make this incredibly tender pie crust.
What to buy: Anise extract has a delicate licorice flavor that adds a subtle floral note when combined with the berries in this pie. It can be purchased at some grocery stores or online.
Sanding sugar is sometimes labeled pearl sugar and can be found in gourmet grocery and cooking stores. If you can’t find it, just sub in some granulated sugar.
This recipe was featured as part of both our Summer Fruit Pies story and our Picnic Recipes photo gallery.
For the crust:
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- 1/2 cup shortening, frozen and cut into small pieces
- 10 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter (1 1/4 sticks), cut into small pieces
- 6 to 8 tablespoons ice water
- 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
For the pie:
- 2 cups blueberries
- 2 cups blackberries
- 2 cups raspberries
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon anise extract
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1 large egg white, lightly beaten
- 1 teaspoon sanding sugar
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour and salt. Toss shortening and butter in flour mixture until well coated. Using a pastry blender or your fingers, cut shortening and butter into dry ingredients until reduced to pea-size pieces, about 4 to 5 minutes.
- Drizzle 6 tablespoons ice water and lemon juice into flour mixture and mix just until dough comes together. (Add the last 2 tablespoons of ice water if necessary, but do not overwork the dough or it will become tough.)
- Divide dough into 2 flat disks (one slightly larger than the other). Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
For the pie:
- Heat the oven to 425°F and arrange a rack on the bottom. Place a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil on the rack.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll out the slightly larger disk of dough to about 12 inches in diameter and 1/4 inch thick. Line a 9-inch pie plate with the dough and trim to leave a 1-1/2-inch overhang.
- Place berries and granulated sugar in a large bowl and stir gently until combined. Stir in lemon juice and anise extract. Sprinkle cornstarch over fruit and gently stir until combined; set aside.
- Roll out the remaining disk of dough on a lightly floured surface to about 11 inches in diameter and 1/4 inch thick.
- Brush the edges and the inside of the bottom crust with egg white. Add the berry mixture and place the top crust over the fruit. Trim the excess dough to a 1-inch overhang. Fold the edge of the bottom crust over the top crust and press to seal.
- Using your fingers or the back of a fork, crimp the dough to seal it tightly. With a sharp knife, cut 6 slits in the top crust, evenly spaced and radiating out from the center. Brush the top of the pie with the remaining egg white and sprinkle with sanding sugar.
- Place the pie on the hot baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Lower the temperature to 350°F and bake until the crust is brown and the fruit is bubbling, about 40 to 50 minutes more. Remove from the oven and let sit on the baking sheet until the fruit stops bubbling, then place on a wire rack to cool completely (at least 1 hour) before cutting.
Come to think of it, there must be some other use for Libby's anise biscotti. Perhaps if you put one in your wardrobe closet, it keeps moths from infesting the woolens, or something like that. I refuse to believe anyone is eating them.
Ya had me, ya so had me. Then I read anise extract and thought, FEH. All I can think of are the frightening anise biscotti at Libby's, a bakery on Wooster Street in New Haven. The flavor is so strong, so artificial and so overpowering, that eating one of those cookies is like getting orally raped by a Good N' Plenty the size of a school bus. Libby's keeps making them, so somebody must be buying 'em. I'm thinking chain smokers and tongue amputees.
So no extract. And, yeah, I am a cardamon freak. Been using that in my pies for decades. But anise intrigues me. I love anise seeds in cookies. I'm tempted to try ground anise in with the fruit OR to mix some anise seeds in the dough for the crust. That would be stellar.
I prefer a hint of cardamom as my pie flavoring secret weapon, as yes I think anise would be too overpowering, but this would be interesting to try. I am not a fan of licorice thought, so maybe that explains that.
I made this for a tailgate and people seemed to like it. It was my first attempt ever at a fruit pie. The anise flavor is very strong--a few people remarked it tasted like licorice. So keep that in mind when making this recipe. You may want to tone it down a little.
chocabot, you could use ground anise instead of extract, but depending on how assertive you want the flavor you may just want to start with 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon.
could i grind some star anise into the sugar as substitute for the extract?